Wind-operated revolving sign.



J. MEYERS.

WIND OPERATED REVOLVING $IGN.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC, 15, 1909.

Patented July 5,1910.

JOSEPH MEYER-S, 01? DENVER, COLORADO.

WIND-OPERATED REVOLVING SIGN.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application fi1ed December 15, 1909.

Patented July 5, 1910. Serial No. 533,217.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrr; MEYERs, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in the city and county of Denver and State ofColorado, have invented a new and useful Wind-Operated Revolving Sign,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in wind actuated revolving signs,and the object of my invention is to provide a revolving sign in which aseries of involute shape curved blades are arranged to form a curvedwind catching space between them that permits the sign to be rotated bya very sllght wind, and in which the outside surfaces of these curvedblades are used to display sign and advertising letters, words orsymbols. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved revolving sign. Fig. 2 is aplan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a lower end plan view; and Fig. 4 is across section on line 4l4 of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the supportingbracket of my improved sign. This bracket is provided with apertures 2,by which it may be hung on hooks, nails or pins, or be secured by screwsto the front walls of stores out of doors where the wind will have freeaccess to it. This supporting bracket is provided with right angled endportions 3, which are bent to stand parallel to each other but atopposite ends of thebracket, and the upper end is provided with anaperture 4, through which the upper end of the axial spindle 5 of thesign extends loosely. This spindle extends entirely through a sign 6,and is revolubly supported in the bracket in the following manner: Thelower angled end of the support is bent to form a double bearing for thelower end of the spindle. This double bearing is formed by bending theend of the lower member down at right angles to itself, as shown at 7and then again bending a portion of the part 7 in to form a shorthorizontal arm 8, which is parallel with the lower angled end 3, andthis arm 8 forms a bearing for the lower end of the spindle 5. This endbearing may be of any suitable character, but I preferably form it bytapering the lower end of the spindle and forming a correspondinglytapered recess 9 in the top surface of the said arm 8 of the supportingbracket.

A journal bearing 10 is formed through the lower angled end 3 of thebracket, in line with the tapered bearing 9, through which the spindleprojects loosely enough to rotate therein.

The lower portion of the spindle is threaded, and a nut 11 is threadedonto and is turned tight to the bottom plate 13 of the sign 6.

The sign 6 comprises a plurality of involute curved wind catching blades12 arranged in slightly overlapping order at their ends and secured upona cylindrical shell 14 of any suitable metal or material, preferably tinor sheet iron, which forms the body of the sign, and which is closed bya plate or disk at each end. The top disk 15 is preferably made in theform of a cone, and the top ends of the blades preferably extend aboveits peripheral rim portion, and a brace arm 16 extends from the topsurface of the cone to each of the wind catching blades. The lower endsof these wind catchin blades are preferably terminated even w1th thebottom head disk 13. The inner ends of these wind catching blades 12 areall secured to the cylindrical body 14, and each blade curves outwardfrom the cylinder in an involute form of a curve, and each blade extendsto and its outer end overlaps the inner or rear end of the adjacentblade and stands at a short distance from it, thus leaving a recess 17between each blade and the cylindrical body 14:, into which the windblows and drives the sign revolubly in the pivotal bearings of itsspindle.

At the top and bottom portion of the sign brace plates 18 and 19respectively extend from the cylinder to the blades. These plates arealso of an involute form of a curve, and consequently form a curvedwedge, and a curved space of the same form as these plates is formedbetween the body of the cylinder and the inside surface of the bladesthroughout the entire length of the sign between its opposite endbrackets. Consequently, the wind enters a deep tapering recess betweenthe blades and the cylin der that extends around the body of thecylinder, and a very slight wind is all that is necessary to rotate thesign.

The sign is preferably made considerably longer than its diameter, andthe outside surface of the involute curved wind catching blade presentsa large curved surface upon which sign letters, Words or symbols may beplaced by painting them upon their surfaces or by any other suitablemeans, the Word drugs being illustrated on one side to illustrate theapplication of sign words to the,blades.

The sign is preferably supported in a vertical position and the signletters and words are consequently arranged vertically on the blades,but, if desired, the sign and its supporting bracket can be positionedand secured in a horizontal or in an oblique position.

My invention is simple, attractive, inexpensive to construct and aslight wind will keep it revolving.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

In a Wind actuated sign, the combination of a suitable supportingbracket provided with angled end portions registering in alinement witheach other, with a spindle revolubly j ournaled in said angled endportions, a cylindrical body provided with heads secured to saidspindle, and a plurality of overlapping curved blades secured at one endto said cylindrical body and. arranged to curve away from it in aninvolute form of curve far enough to overlap the inner end portion ofthe adjacent blade and to form a wind entering curved and taperingshaped recess between said blades and the body of said cylinder, aconical top portion on said cylinder, brackets secured at one end tosaid conical top and extending to and secured to the inside of saidcurved blades, and brace plates of involute form secured to andextending from said curved blades to and secured to said cylinder at thebase of said cylinders conical top portion, the outside surfaces of saidblades being of sufficient Width and length to receive sign letters andexpose them to view.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH MEYERS. Vitnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT, ADELLA M. FoWLn.

